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Temporary Fix Rear ABS-ESP-Handbrake required
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gmerry   
Mon Aug 12 2013, 10:35am
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi all, I have the warning lights flashing up for ABS / ESP / Handbrake problem.

I did have this briefly a year ago but the problem went away of its own accord.

Is there anything that can be down along the lines of cleaning / temporary repairs etc - as opposed to dropping the fuel tank and replacing the rear ABS sensors.

How good is access to the ABS pickup wheel / sensors for cleaning - does this require rear brake discs to be removed?

Thanks
G
C6Dave   
Mon Aug 12 2013, 11:50am

Joined: Oct 01 2009
Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland
 Have you tried spraying any contacts that are not easily accessible with electrical switch cleaner?

WD40 Fast Drying Specialist Contact Cleaner comes with a long nozzle which lets you spray in awkward places - Click Here - and worked a treat on the Tractions old electrics and switches for me

Got mine from either Halfords or Maplin, can't remember which.....
Website
travlician   
Tue Aug 13 2013, 01:23am
Joined: Jan 22 2011
Member No: #350
Location: Paradera
 I have had success cleaning the sensor itself, it tends to catch debris (specially if a rear bearing is damaged): and can be removed (but be careful!) without removing anything but the wheel. Removing the brake disk does give better access for cleaning though but requires brake pads and caliper removal.
gmerry   
Tue Aug 13 2013, 08:50am
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Thanks Dave and Travlician.

I have been doing a lot of towing recently, on hills too, so suspect there is a lot of brake dust and ferrous debris from disc wear. Maybe this is sticking to the hub seal magnets and causing a poor ABS signal.

Anyway, I shall attempt a clean and maybe squirt some WD50 at the connector if it is accessible and we shall see.

Not having a working satnav when the ABS system is playing up is a bit of a pain.

Regards
G
gmerry   
Wed Aug 14 2013, 09:17pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Update:

Removed rear right wheel (Lexia diagnosed problem on right rear) and tried to remove ABS sensor from hub but totally corroded in place (what's new).

Then I removed brake pads, caliper bracket and disk. Very good access to ABS sensor and pickup ring on hub so cleaned off the thick coating of brake debris/dust etc.

Reassembled brake not using any Coppaslip. Used special Pagid brake lube instead.

Cleared fault.

Went for test drive, all good. Stopped at garage to pump up front tyres. Drove home, ABS fault back again! . Parked at home. Restarted engine, fault gone, drove 1/2 mile around block, fault still gone.

Fixed?

Lexia was saying + short or - short to earth, so that look likes wiring connector but cleaning seems to have helped (wishful thinking?).


Regards
G

Note, Lexia indicates lots of secondary errors such as Transmission ECU picking up ABS fault but very easy to confuse between initiating faults and secondary faults. Large plant control systems have complex fault logging systems to help the control technician work out what caused what.

Even my outboard engine has a rudimentary fault logging system (and a fantastic interface via Digital tachometer and instruments so that PC is not required)

Maybe Digibox is improved compared to Lexia with regards to fault logging?
gmerry   
Tue Aug 20 2013, 09:29am
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi all, 4 days now with no warnings and functional Satnav.

So might just be coincidence or it might be that cleaning the hub and ABS sensor was enough to sort the system out.

Might be worth a try for anyone else with ABS/ESP/Handbrake warnings before ripping out fuel tank.

One thing I did notice was that the sensor gap was huge: must have been about 6mm and this did not seem to be because of any wear.

Regards
G

PS, thanks for the helpful suggestion from Travlician
ul9601   
Mon Oct 29 2018, 09:00am
Joined: Dec 14 2014
Member No: #1975
Location: Auckland
 Hi G,
I'm only 5 years late but how long did this fix work for?
Mine has been giving the fault on and off for the past six months ish but now it's been permanently on for the past week.
I might try this if you had success for a reasonable length of time.
Does it require fault clearing by Lexia/Diagbox or does it go away on its own? (like it used to do when re-start the car once the fault come up)
Cheers
e3steve   
Mon Oct 29 2018, 09:47am
Joined: Jan 21 2013
Member No: #1163
Location: Warsash, Hants & Palma de Mallorca, Spain
ul9601 wrote ...

Hi G,
I'm only 5 years late but how long did this fix work for?
Mine has been giving the fault on and off for the past six months ish but now it's been permanently on for the past week.
I might try this if you had success for a reasonable length of time.
Does it require fault clearing by Lexia/Diagbox or does it go away on its own? (like it used to do when re-start the car once the fault come up)
Cheers
In my experience, the warnings disappear once the fault is rectified. The code log may need clearing at some point, but at least the beeping and the lights stop nagging...

You’re probably getting the ‘ABS/ESP’ warning first, then the ‘Handbrake Faulty’ warning about ten seconds later. If the warnings don’t start until after you move off, then cleaning the ferrous debris from the magnetic reluctor rings and the sensors’ probes is a good starting point. If the warnings commence when the engine is started, you either have a faulty connection — found below the 20cm plastic pop-out panel (caution: its three retaining lugs, 120-deg apart, are brittle!) under the r/h rear seat cushion — or a failed rear wheel sensor.

Oh, and the satnav misses junctions, as it relies on the wheel sensors for distance accuracy.

Lexia will tell you which wheel sensor/cable connector is playing up...
Miquel   
Mon Oct 29 2018, 10:58am
Joined: Sep 28 2017
Member No: #3283
Location: Nottingham
 Hi Steve I am also curious about this as it is happening to me too. I will connect it to Lexia tonight. By magnetic rings you mean the abs rings and sensors?
gmerry   
Mon Oct 29 2018, 06:26pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi UL9601, from memory, that temporary fix lasted about 6 months on and off.

In the end, I replaced the ABS rear sensors, (partially lowered fuel tank etc).

Touch wood its all been good with the new Bosch brand sensors. I also replaced the rear disk guards which were disintegrating and showering the sensors with rust particles.

Regards
cruiserphil   
Mon Oct 29 2018, 08:09pm

Joined: Jan 24 2010
Member No: #38
Location: Celbridge
 Good to hear from you again G. Same here. Changing the sensor ended all problems. Strange that it's always the right hand and not the left.

Best regards,

Phil C.
e3steve   
Mon Oct 29 2018, 11:14pm
Joined: Jan 21 2013
Member No: #1163
Location: Warsash, Hants & Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Miquel wrote ...

Hi Steve I am also curious about this as it is happening to me too. I will connect it to Lexia tonight. By magnetic rings you mean the abs rings and sensors?
Yes, Miquel; the plastic-covered (reluctor) ring of magnets, found right at the inboard extremity of the hubs.
ul9601   
Tue Oct 30 2018, 08:11am
Joined: Dec 14 2014
Member No: #1975
Location: Auckland
e3steve wrote ...

...You’re probably getting the ‘ABS/ESP’ warning first, then the ‘Handbrake Faulty’ warning about ten seconds later. If the warnings don’t start until after you move off, then cleaning the ferrous debris from the magnetic reluctor rings and the sensors’ probes is a good starting point...

Yep that's the symptom I get. I hope I can get at it with just the wheel off. I'd better do some research.
The diagnostic session said rear right one when it happened the last time. (apparently quite typical?)
e3steve   
Fri Nov 02 2018, 02:47pm
Joined: Jan 21 2013
Member No: #1163
Location: Warsash, Hants & Palma de Mallorca, Spain
 Hmmm, don’t know why the r/h rear should fail more frequently than the l/h.

You’ll need to remove the steel backplates for better access to the reluctor rings; give them a good spraying with WD40 or Ferrosol, then (I use) compressed air to blow away the crud. Wear a mask!
ul9601   
Sat Nov 03 2018, 07:27am
Joined: Dec 14 2014
Member No: #1975
Location: Auckland
 Unfortunately it'll have to be a quick attempt at it outside in the work carpark so won't be able to pull the all the brake bits out.
Hopefully the long straw will be able to reach it.
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